Binuclear iron(III) complexes bridged by terephthalato groups

Six new μ-terephthalato iron(III) binuclear complexes have been prepared and identified: [Fe₂(TPHA)(L)₄]-(ClO₄)₄ [L = 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy); 1,10-phenanthroline (phen); 4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine (Me₂bpy); 5-methyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Me-phen); 5-chloro-1,10-phenanthroline (Cl-phen) and 5-nitro-1,10-phenanthroline (NO₂-phen)]; where TPHA = the terephthalate dianion. Based on the elemental analyses, molar conductance and magnetic moments of room-temperature measurements, and spectroscopic studies, extended TPHA-bridged structures consisting of two iron(III) ions, each in an octahedral environment, are proposed for these complexes. The [Fe₂(TPHA)(Me-phen)₄](ClO₄)₄ (1) and [Fe₂(TPHA)(phen)₄](ClO₄)₄ (2) complexes were characterized by variable temperature magnetic susceptibility (4–300 K) measurements and the observed data were successfully simulated by the equation based on the spin Hamiltonian operator, Ĥ = −2JŜ ₁ Ŝ ₂, giving the exchange integrals J = −1.05 cm⁻¹ for (1) and J = −9.28 cm⁻¹ for (2). This result indicates the presence of a weak antiferromagnetic spin-exchange interaction between the metal ions within each molecule. The influence of the terminal ligand methyl substituents on magnetic interactions between the metals is also discussed. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.